1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to the field of display cases for sports jerseys and memorabilia. The present invention is directed to a cabinet style display case which displays various athletic jerseys.
2 . Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Display cases are used to display various sports uniform jerseys and other memorabilia. Some display cases are cabinet style and are made by attaching a framed clear door to a plastic mold back frame using two hinges. Once mounted on the wall, the front door frame can then be opened to place, adjust, remove, and change jerseys or memorabilia which are inside. Some jersey displays are just like picture frames where the jersey is flattened between a clear piece of acrylic or glass and pressed against the back supporting panel. Sometimes the jersey is sewn into the back panel for securing it in place. Other display cases use two pieces of glass pressed together on both sides of the jersey in order to view the jersey from both sides.
Like many types of framed artwork and wall-mounted cabinetry, typical display cases are large and heavy because of their size, a previous necessity for displaying large jerseys neatly. When space on a wall is limited, or a person desires a smaller display case just because of size and weight, often the jersey is too large for the inside of the case and must be scrunched up at the bottom in order to completely fit inside. The result is poor presentation, increased wear and tear of the jersey, thereby decreasing preservation and combined overall value of the sports jersey and display case.
Given their weight, display case cabinets are often difficult to mount on the wall and have posed many problems for people during installation. The typical two-hinged door system also makes installation difficult because sometimes the door may swing open during mounting, thereby compromising balance. Often people drop and break display cases during installation because of their weight, unbalanced nature when the framed door is ajar, or a combination of both.
Typically, sports jerseys hang on a hanger which hooks to the top inside part of the display case. Because the fabric and cut of hockey, basketball, football, soccer and baseball jerseys vary, a common one size fits all hanger fails to accentuate the specific variations. Some hangers have been made in an attempt to display the jersey in a three dimensional way, but are not designed to accentuate the fabric and cut of the varying sports jerseys.
When a collector owns several jerseys from different sports, and wants to periodically change the jersey to display, the person typically takes the jersey out of the case, pulls it off the hanger, and places a different jersey on the same shaped hanger. Jerseys displayed in picture frames, although they can be removed and changed, the frame must first be taken off the wall and second the backing on the frame must be removed to access the jersey for adjustment or removal.